What is Family
by ThoroughlySnarky
Summary: On the night that Voldemort came to kill the Potter's son a decision was made, James was spared. So now he struggles to pull his life together not just for himself but for his infant son. Severus Snape made a promise, now he's stuck with James Potter and his spawn. But as much as he hates it Lily was the closest thing to a family ever had so he'll stick through it if only for her.
1. The Beginning

Hey there... I'm posting this from my AO3 account, thought that maybe I should give this place a chance again... Idk if anyone would like this.. more power to you if you like it... if not then don't complain please.

It was quiet in Dumbledore's office, the portraits were wide awake yet quiet as they stared at the group under them with intensity, Minerva McGonagall perched on one of the chairs, her back straight, her arms resting in her lap solemnly, Albus Dumbledore sat behind his desk, he looked like every one of his years as he observed the man with unruly black hair who appeared unconscious on a transfigured couch, the final two occupants were by far the strangest, not because of how they looked but who they were; Severus Snape the fearsome Dungeon Bat of Hogwarts (who had already made a majority of the school's students cry at least once in his short few months as the Potions Master) stood rocking slightly as he tried to keep the one year old child he had in his arms from waking up while at the same time put more healing cream on the child's forehead. The child shifted slightly causing the young professor to curse.

"Honestly Potter, you're already taking after your father, I'm quite sure that your blanket doesn't need healing cream." Minerva and Albus smiled at that as they listened to Severus continue to tell the child just how much trouble he'd be getting into as he got older, even a few of the portraits chuckled at the young man's words.

"Lily." The mood dropped as the figure on the couch spoke up his eyes open, "Lily will never get to see him get in all that trouble, will she Snape?" Severus didn't look up at James, instead he chose to stare into the sleepy pair of green eyes looking up at him, "You know what he said, 'it would be such a shame to waste _pure blood_.'" James shook, anger pouring from his figure as he snarled, "He fucking _knocked me out _while he _killed_ Lily!" He practically screamed, "IT'S ALL YOUR FAULT SNIVELLUS! IF YOU HADN'T TOLD YOUR _LORD_ ABOUT THAT STUPID PROPHECY LILY WOULD STILL BE A-"

The angry man was knocked back onto the couch as his former head of house slapped him across the face, "If it wasn't for _Severus_ you and your son would be dead from smoke inhalation!" A cry ran throughout the small room and all eyes were drawn away from the fight as they watched Severus calm the child.

"Shush now, your father isn't mad," Severus said softly, "He just misses your mother, now hush up, we have important things to talk about," Severus gave the baby a soft smile, "Now go to sleep, little troublemaker," Severus crooned at Harry and before their eyes the infant had been rocked to sleep by the terror of every first year's nightmares.

James twitched, "How the hell did you do that, Harry usually cries for hours, not even- not even Lily can- could calm him down." James said, his anger replaced by shock.

"Being a fellow spy isn't why Lucius made me Draco's godfather, the child can be a brat and Narcissa is useless at the best of times, I can usually get their little Dragon to do anything."

"Can you get him to eat peas?" James asked a bit stupefied by the fact that Severus appeared to be good with infants.

"I can't work miracles." he muttered as he cuddled the now sleeping child close, "Get your son Potter, and I'll be out of your hair so you can discuss what will be happening to you and your child."

James nodded mutely (still a bit shocked by how Severus acted), he stood up to collect his son but as soon as Harry was in his arms the child began to cry, Albus chuckled, "It seems that your son has become attached to Severus, James." The animagus twitched slightly before he muttered that Severus could stay if he held Harry.

After the group shuffled around for a few minutes the couch was turned back into two chairs, with Severus in the softer of the two so he could lean back to allow the infant to rest on his chest and not make Severus hold his weight for the rest of what would probably be a long talk.

Minerva looked at the two men and shook her head, she had a good idea of how this conversation would go. Albus gave a tired smile to both of the men, "So, James do you have any plans?"

James frowned, "No, Albus, my house just burned down, my wife just died, and my son just vanquished Voldemort (Minerva and Severus flinched), do you really think that I have any bloody plans?" He frowned and scratched his head, "Perhaps Molly would allow Harry and I to stay at the Burrow until I can find a place for Harry and myself. Or I could stay with Sirius." The other occupants stiffened.

"James," Minerva said sadly, "Sirius is being hunted for giving information on your whereabouts to he-who-must-not-be-named."

The ex-auror gave a confused look to the professor, "Minerva, what are you talking about, Peter always apperated Sirius to the porch, he didn't know where we were."

"The rat was your secret-keeper?" Severus asked quietly as he tried to keep Harry asleep.

James nodded and Minerva jumped from her chair horrified, "Albus I'll inform the Auror Department about this, they must know."

The headmaster nodded silently as the witch went to the fireplace and then turned to look back at the two remaining adult occupants, "Actually I was hoping that you could take over the lower DADA courses for the rest of the year, Professor Milintery has the most peculiar fear that the first years want to sacrifice her and that the second and third years are helping them." James looked slightly shocked, "Now my boy, you have three, extremely exciting, years of being an auror under your belt along with a year of very intense on-the-job training, it will give you time to get back onto your feet and think about your future."

"But what about Harry, what about everything else, how will any of this work without-" He choked slightly, "Lily here to help me."

"Severus will help you." Albus said cheerfully.

"WHAT?" both men said at once before they glared at each other.

James turned back to the obviously crazy headmaster, "Sir, no offence, but the day that the greasy git helps me is the day that Malfoy does a cartwheel in a pink dress."

"My promise to Lily didn't include babysitting her husband. And find a different analogy Potter, Lucius already did that."

"What? Wait what promise?" Albus and Severus exchanged a look, "I feel like Lily and you two are hiding something from me again."

"Lily made me vow in front of Dumbledore," Severus began uncomfortably, "vow on my magic, that should something happen to her that I would help raise her son." James stuttered slightly, obviously grasping at just _why_ his wife would go to the potions master for her son's future, "Lily was like a sister to me Potter, we had a falling out and when I switched sides we reconciled," He smiled sadly down at the child drooling onto his chest, "it was nice to have her back, even if it was only for a little while. We've been sending letters back and forth for months, you know she really didn't think that your mutt could ever be a parent, just a crazy uncle at most." He smirked at James.

The animagus pouted, "I don't care what Lily said, Sirius is a perfect godfather for Harry."

"He's dating a werewolf."

"Remus is a good person twenty-nine out of thirty days a month." James protested.

Severus rolled his eyes and sat up while he pulled Harry so the the child's chin was resting on his shoulder. "What about living arrangements, Milintery's already occupying the Defence Master's quarters."

Albus smiled, "I already had the elves extend your room so that James and Harry could stay with you, I also change the schedule so that you have your NEWT students in the morning so James can watch Harry before he needs to teach, but sadly you both are teaching a class right after lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, but Severus you said that your fourth year Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs are quite competent, so you watching Harry would probably be safer than James' second year Gryffindor and Slytherin class." Albus ended what he said and, for all the world, looked like a dotty old grandfather while James and Severus just sat there for a second trying to figure out what had just been decided without their input.

Eventually Severus just shook his head and glared at the headmaster, "Of course sir." he muttered disdainfully.

James turned his wide eyes to Severus, "You're just going along with this?"

The potions master stood up, carefully cradling Harry as he scowled at the child's father, "You should know, Potter, that there is no arguing with Albus Dumbledore once he has set his mind to an idea." Severus growled, resigned to his fate.

Albus smiled, eyes twinkling wildly, "Good, good, you boys go off and adjust, I believe that it is high time for me to go and shut down the party that is going on, I'm afraid Mr. Baddock took over your position as head troublemaker in the Gryffindor house."

James grinned (his first real smile since he had woken up), "Little Gabriel Baddock huh? Kid was adorable, always pulling pranks."

"On Slytherins," Muttered Severus, "Potter, take your son. I don't want my reputation damaged anymore than it will be." James rolled his eyes and held out his hands. But when Severus put Harry into James' arms the boy's face immediately scrunched up and he began to whimper in his sleep. Severus sighed and grabbed the baby, "Honestly."

James looked devastated, "Why does Harry like you more than me? He's my child."

The potions master thought for a moment before he blushed slightly, "Lily recommended a muggle shampoo to cut down on grease in hair in one of our recent letters, she said that it was what she used on her hair."

The other man blinked before he leaned forward and sniffed Severus' hair he then took a step back with an awkward and slightly pained look on his face, "Your hair smells like Lily's." Which was quite funny since she used a shampoo with strawberry scent.

Severus glared at James, "You just sniffed my hair."

James laughed awkwardly, "So where are your rooms? We should head there." Severus narrowed his eyes and gave the other man a glare that made even the sixth and seventh years who remembered Severus as a student scampering in fear. James simply shrugged and they left with a quick goodbye to the headmaster at the base of the stairs as they headed in opposite directions. James barely kept up as Severus strode towards a hidden staircase, "Could you slow down?" the animagus snapped, "How are you faster than me, we're the same hi- ouch." James muttered when he ran into Severus' narrow back which caused the man to stumble. "Why'd you- oh hello." James smiled as he stood next to Severus, who was glaring at a pair of frightened looking Hufflepuffs who shook where they stood a few paces ahead of the two.

"What are you doing out of bed Mr. Smith, Ms. Cattell?" Severus snarled as he hoped that the two Hufflepuffs wouldn't say anything about the child who had drooled all over his shoulder in his sleep.

"W-we were s-studying in the R-Ravenc-claw common room, sir," Jackson Smith, a fifth year muggle-born, stuttered, before his eyes flickered to the blue bundle that the potion's master held and the boy's shoulders seemed to sag, "Our quidditch captain decided to throw a party, and me and Shelly hadn't finished the dreamless sleep essay yet." he said slightly more confidently, "Is that a baby sir?"

Severus winced, "That is no concern of you Mr. Smith, ten points from Hufflepuff for walking around after curfew."

"That isn't very fair Severus," James said, "They were doing a report for your class."

Severus glared, "I did not give you permission to use my name _Potter_, and they are lucky I did not give them detention for wandering around after curfew." Severus turned his glare back to the two confused fifth years, "And what are you two doing? Go to your dormitory, now."

The two Hufflepuffs gave a quick 'yes sir' and headed towards the passage that led down to the basement, "Hey Shelly."

"What?" the blonde asked her friend as they entered the 'secret' passage.

"Was it just me or is professor Snape less terrifying with a baby sleeping on him?"

Shelly nodded with a faint smile, "Coupled with the fact that his hair no longer looks like he used petrol as a shampoo, he seems pretty human."

Jackson groaned, "No one is gonna believe this!"

Shelly giggled, "My question is who was that man that was with him, they looked kinda cute together."

Jackson made a quick sound of disgust, "Only you would be thinking about stuff like that about professor Snape."

She giggled, "Admit it you thought the same thing."

Jackson blushed, "Why would I think something like that its _girly_." With that the two friends argued all the way back to the Hufflepuff common room. By the time the two of them headed towards their separate dorms they had forgotten just what had started their fight in the first place.


	2. Family

Yes multi-post, the first three chapters are already done but after that it'll be a bit of a wait between the others...

James shifted uncomfortably as he looked up at the portrait of a stern looking man with long black hair and a familiar hooked nose, "I don't remember this being here when we were students."

Severus snorted, "Of course not, it's my grandfather, Vladimir Prince's portrait, the previous guardian of this room was a very grumpy snake that hated me. The snake seems much happier since I relocated it to the Slytherin common room where it can terrorize first years."

The portrait's eyes narrowed as he looked at the bundle that rested on Severus' shoulder, "Severus," The portrait intoned quietly, "I could've sworn that, just this morning you were a childless bachelor, now you come back with a child and a Potter" The man grimaced, "I truly hope you didn't confound me and then elope only to return two years later."

"Grandfather!" Severus blushed, "I would never marry him, much less give him a child."

Vladimir snorted, "Conception could've been an accident, especially since you don't acknowledge your creature inheritance- I know you don't take proper precautions child, don't argue." The portrait then glared at James, "And I know Potters, they never pay attention to such things, but hopefully, if this is truly not your child Severus, he'll make an honest man out of you should such an _accident_ happen."

James paled, genuinely terrified of the portrait, "Yes sir."

Severus glared at the animagus, "Nothing like that will happen Grandfather, I find this man to be annoying and not worth my time. The child is Lily's, I'm taking care of him from now on."

The portrait frowned, "So your muggle-born friend died," he sighed and shook his head, "I'm sorry my child, she was powerful." With that the painting swung open to reveal the room hidden behind the portrait.

James whistled as he stepped in, "Wow Snape, I'm surprised, I was expecting a shrine to the Slytherin house." The room was furnished with a large assortment of random things that looked like that they had been pulled out of storage just to furnish the room without a thought to whether they would match or not. Three overflowing bookshelves were pushed into an indent in the wall next to a door labeled 'lab' while a striped couch, cushy brown chair, grey loveseat, and an emerald wing backed chair faced away from the door towards a small fireplace while the mantle had some knickknacks, a picture, and a few more books stacked on it. Pushed into a small kitchenette (sink and stove included) was a square table with three different chairs pushed in on the sides that wasn't against the wall along with another stack of books. All of this gave the room a cluttered, and somewhat adorable feel to it (not that James would tell the other man that). "Is that where the bedrooms are located?" James asked as he pointed at the short hallway off of the kitchenette.

Severus rolled his eyes, a faint blush from uncharacteristic embarrassment from someone seeing his room, "Yes." Before there had only been one bedroom and a large bathroom along with a small broom closet, "Go to bed Potter I'll put Harry to bed."

The former Gryffindor looked at the Slytherin head of house, "I can put him to bed Snape, after all we're invading your rooms."

Severus shook his head, "Go to bed Potter, you've had a... long day." He said as he walked down the hall into a room that had 'Harry' on the door which looked like it had been scribbled by some over enthusiastic elf. He opened the door and examined the room, which like the rest of his apartment looked like the elves hadn't paid attention to whether or not the furniture matched or not. The potions master sighed and glared at the pink toy box as if it had personally offended him and he pulled out his wand and changed it to Slytherin green. "What am I doing?" Severus muttered as he put Harry down in the crib. The child immediately reached out as if he expected to find something, but when he didn't his face crumpled and a faint whimper came out of the tiny child.

The potions master looked around before he stepped over to the toy chest, opened it up, and dug out the first plush toy he found, a small eagle with a soft leather patch sewn over half of the left wing. Severus held it for a second before he quickly put it into the crib with the small child. Immediately the whimper stopped and Harry wrapped himself around the plushie with a content sigh. Severus smiled slightly, "Lily was lucky." he whispered and with a quick wave of his wand, put a monitoring charm on Harry that would alert him should he be needed at some point during the night.

With a sigh Severus left the room and walked to the door across from Harry's, his room it seemed had been untouched, the large four poster still had the same ratty quilt that his mother and him had made together when he was ten, the same armchair pushed into the corner, his favorite books stacked up next to the bed, and an empty portrait that Vladimir sometimes took residence in hung across from his black dresser, but was different was James Potter sitting at the edge with one of his books in his hands. "This is my room Potter, and I dearly hope that that isn't my book you're reading, it might go a little bit over your head"

James jumped and looked over owlishly at the other man, "Uh, um." He put the book down and looked sheepishly at Severus' perfected glare, "I think Dumbledore messed up on the extensions."

"What does that mean?"

"Well," James scratched the back of his neck, "It seems that the only other rooms are the bathroom and the broomcloset."

Severus sighed and began to reply when Vladimir slid into his portrait, "Sharing a room now? How quaint."

Both men blushed while Severus just glared at his grandfather, "We are not, the headmaster made a mistake is all, is someone at the door?"

Vladimir nodded, "Yes, Ms. Greene escorted Ms. Silva down here, it appears she has had another panic attack." Vladimir scowled, "I have a feeling that Ms. Silva is still having nightmares about her father." he spat out the last word and looked ready to kill.

Severus turned to look at James, "Just sleep in here, this might take awhile so I'll simply sleep on the couch."

James nodded and lay down on the bed and petted the quilt, "This is nice."

Severus rolled his eyes and walked out of the bedroom and went back into the living room and stopped at the doorway which he opened to reveal the all too familiar sight of the Slytherin sixth year prefect holding hands with a small first year girl in too large pajamas.

"Good evening professor." Ms. Greene murmured, "Did you had a good Halloween, I saw that you weren't at the feast."

Severus winced, "It, no I did not have a good Halloween… I'm quite sure you will find out more in the morning." The girl raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything but just nodded before she left without another word.

The potions master sighed, "Ms. Silva would you like a cup of warm milk, or perhaps some tea?"

The young Slytherin blinked before she softly muttered, "Some milk with honey would be nice, professor."

Severus nodded and stepped back, "Well I can't exactly give it to you in the hall now can I?" he drawled as he did when he was about to punish Gryffindors. The first year giggled and shuffled her way to 'her' spot in Severus' living room while Severus went over to his kitchenette and pulled out a carton of milk out of a cold cupboard, grabbed a jar honey from his counter, and pulled out a coffee cup Severus paused for a second before he pulled out a second one. After a few seconds Severus had two steaming cups filled with warm milk and honey.

The potions master sat down next the young girl and handed her one of the cups, "Thank you." she muttered softly.

Severus nodded and took a sip from his own cup, "I'm guessing you don't want to talk about it still." The first year shook her head and Severus took a deep breath, "You know Ms. Silva- Sarah, I didn't have the happiest home life either." Sarah looked up at her head of house with wide eyes. "My mother died when I was twelve, right before I came home for the summer. My father said that she fell down the stairs, how the muggle police - yes I lived in the muggle world," Severus chuckled sadly, "I don't know how the muggle police believed him, but they did. So that is what I went back to for five more years, my father who had beat my mother to death because she had come home late from her job at the local diner and he hated magic, with my mother gone he beat me every day trying to 'beat it out of me'." He gave Sarah a pointed look, "Now Ms. Silva do you truly believe that I will have no sympathy for your plight?"

Sarah blushed, "I'm sorry professor."

"You have nothing to be sorry for snakeling," Severus said as he wrapped his arm around the little girl in the awkward half-hug that he often gave his first years when they came to him crying because their older sibling were ignoring them or the Gryffindors had chased them to a part of the castle that they had never been to or something else that had just scared them, "Nothing that your father does to you is your fault. But also remember Ms. Silva I can't do anything unless you tell me that you are being hurt or if you ask Madame Pomfrey for a medical check up."

"I- I don't know professor." She mumbled softly, "He's my father, I don't want to get him in trouble, I don't want him to end up in Azkaban, he-he's blood, family."

Severus frowned, "Sometimes family doesn't always mean blood. I haven't seen my father since I turned seventeen. And, for awhile, I'd thought I'd found a family for me, but I learned, in the worst way, that they were not my family."

"How?"

"They wanted to kill my sister."

"You have a sister sir?"

"Not by blood," Severus felt a pain in his chest, his eyes watered slightly, "she's gone now, but now I've found more family. A brother and a godson whom I care about, and an annoying old dotty grandfather." Severus scowled at the last part causing Sarah to giggle. Severus looked down at the girl, "You can't wait to find your family, if you do so then you will regret it. Take a chance Ms. Silva, tell me, tell Madame Pomfrey, truly inform someone so we can take your case to the Ministry.

Sarah looked into her mug, "I-I'll ask Madame Pomfrey tomorrow for a medical check, I'll submit to a full scan and report." She looked up at Severus with tears in her eyes, "I-I don-don't want to g-go ba-ack." she sobbed.

Severus sighed as he slowly rubbed Sarah's back gently hushing her as he tried to calm her sobs, "Now, now, Ms. Silva, you're a Slytherin aren't you, this isn't becoming behavior." he murmured as he calmed the young girl. Sarah sobs eventually faded and became soft snores.

"Wow." Severus jumped which caused Sarah to shift in her sleep both men remained completely still as they waited for her to settle back down. "So apparently it isn't just babies you're good with, but firsties as well." James whispered.

Severus glared at the other man, "You're suppose to be in bed Potter, sleeping."

James shrugged, "I've gotten used to sleeping with other people, even before me and Lily got married, see Sirius suffered from nightmares, dreaming up various ways that his mother could come and get it, he had a thing about being able to touch things to make them feel real to him, he started crawling into Remus' bed when Lily finally said yes to going on a date with me and the rest is history."

"You are very strange Potter."

James shrugged and walked over to where Severus was sitting, "Why don't you let her sleep on the couch and, since we're both big boys, we can share your bed." The man then picked up the two empty mugs that had been placed on the table and placed them on a small tray in the kitchenette that transported them straight to the kitchen to be cleaned."

Severus yawned and glared the man who had obviously made him tired, "I don't want to sleep in the same bed as you Potter but I am too tired to carry Ms. Silva back to the Slytherin dormitory."

James chuckled and pulled something off from around his neck, "I got this from your closet, I think that Sarah would probably be thankful if she has this." Severus started surprised by the Gryffindor's actions, and also at how he had also apparently eavesdropped on them without either of them noticing.

"Don't get all sentimental on me Potter." Severus said quietly as he stood carefully as he tried to not jostle the girl leaning on him.

James snorted, "If you truly viewed Lily as family Severus then you have no way to avoid me, we're family after all."


	3. Morning

I just thought I should let people know that this story is rated T for bad wand jokes and innuendos

Severus cuddled into his pillow and sighed in contentment, unlike other mornings where he found that his warming charms had faded or become just a bit too warm for his liking, today it was perfect… except it was pulsing… like a… heartbeat? Why, for Merlin's sake did his pillow have a heartbeat?

The potions master's eyes opened, but he himself didn't move, years of not being able to trust his surrounding had made him cautious, and sudden moves in a strange situation, he knew, could easily get one killed. Severus quickly took in his surroundings, his room, Grandfather Vladimir's portrait was (thankfully) empty, and the arm around his shoulder was quite comfortable…. Potter. Severus quickly sat up and glared at a pair of sleepy hazel eyes that looked up at him.

"W'res th' f're Sev'rus?" The man muttered sleepily.

"First of I do not wish to cuddle you in my bed, second that better be your wand in your pocket Potter."

James smiled sleepily, "I'pressed," he yawned and turned over and grabbed his pillow, "Yer th' one th't cuddled wit' me an'way."

"What was that?" Severus asked slightly hysterical.

The animagus yawned, "Sleeeeep Seeeeev'ruuuuuussssss." The man exaggerated as he smothered himself with his pillow.

Severus sighed and glared at his clock, "It's seven, we should both be getting ready."

"Class cancelled, yer gramps sai' tha' Dumbles came by an' tol' 'im to tell us."

"WHAT!" Severus screeched at the thought that his grandfather had seen him cuddled up with _Potter_ of all people and jumped out of bed which earned him a sleepy glare from his bed's other resident. "My grandfather saw us in that position?" Severus asked panicked.

James sat up resigned to the fact that he wouldn't be able to go back to sleep this morning, "Yeah," He yawned and stretched, "He said that he'd never seen you so relaxed before."

Severus blushed and clenched his teeth, "Go get your son, I'll get breakfast ready."

"Can't we just go to the grand hall?" the ex-auror asked as he sat up with a groan.

"There is no need to if there isn't any classes, as well as think of your so- Harry, he hasn't seen more than four people at a time since he was eight months old, so a hall full of loud children might be a bit much for him. Don't you think Potter?" Severus sneered and left the room. As he entered the living room he nodded to Sarah who was sitting calmly on the couch, "Would you like to join my guest and myself for breakfast Ms. Silva?"

The first year shook her head, "No thank you sir, I was just waiting to say thank you for letting me sleep here and also for the blanket." she nodded down to the folded green blanket in her lap.

"That was my guest- Professor Potter's, doing, I shall tell him that you're thankful."

"Professor Potter? Sir, there isn't a Professor Potter here sir."

Severus nodded, "Classes were canceled, I'm guessing that Dumbledore will be holding everyone late for breakfast and explain some things to all of you. If not then expect that there will be a meeting in the common room tonight."

Sarah nodded and hopped off of the couch, "Then I'll head back to my dorm now and get ready for breakfast sir." With a curtsy the first year scampered out of his rooms and back to the Slytherin's common room that was two corridors from his rooms.

"Sev!" Severus jumped and turned to see a pair of bright green eyes that looked at him happily from James' arms. The little boy smiled brightly and held out his arms as he stretched away from his father towards the other man which surprised both of them, "You no pic-a-ture! Hold pwease!"

James' face crumpled as he walked over to Severus, "Even awake my son likes you more than he likes me."

"Hold pwease?" Harry asked Severus with large eyes, confused as to why the dark man wasn't picking him up.

"Not now, I'm making breakfast." Severus said with a faint smile aimed towards the child, "is there anything in particular that you want?"

"Party-cul-are?" Harry asked as he tilted his head like some green eyed puppy.

Severus rolled his eyes and took him out of James' arms leaving the man lost and confused in the middle of the living room, "What would you like to eat?" Severus pulled out his wand and transfigured one of the chairs into a high chair and sat the child down in the new chair. James walked over and sat next to his child the lost look on his face.

The child concentrated his eyes crossed from the effort before he pointed a chubby hand towards the bananas that sat in the corner next to the cold cupboard, "Nanabas."

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Bananas?"

Harry nodded, "Das wha I saaaiiiiiid."

James chuckled and poked Harry's nose, "Sorry little man but you said 'nanabas' again."

The baby pouted and glared at his father, "Nanabas," he muttered.

Severus shook his head and grabbed one of the bananas, "Should it be mashed?" he asked James.

The other man just shrugged, "Lily's the one who always feeds him."

Harry's expression changed and he looked around the room as if looking for someone before he turned to look at Severus who was cutting up the banana, "Where Mama?" James flinched and Severus barely missed chopping his finger off and the baby looked between the two men with large eyes, "Where Mama, Dada?" James didn't answer instead he seemed to curl into himself like a wounded animal, so Harry turned to look at Severus who was now scraping the sliced banana into a plastic bowl, "Sev, where Mama?"

Severus froze before he sighed, "Harry do you know where your Granny Rose and Grandpa Sam live?"

Harry nodded, "Mama say dey in H'van."

"Well your Mama went to go live with them." Severus said gently as he mashed the banana slices with a toddler fork that he had found in his silverware drawer and he set it down in front of the boy.

Harry just looked back up at Severus the solemn eyes, "Mama no come back." Severus shook his head, "Wha 'bou dat scary? Dat scary commin back?"

James and Severus exchanged a look before James smiled at Harry, "No little man, the scary isn't coming back, now why don't you eat the banana that Sev mashed for you?"

Harry nodded and with a short, "Dank you." He stuck his toddler hands into his food with gusto and giggles.

"What about you Potter, what do you want for breakfast?"

James shrugged, "I'm not really that hungry, but if you have co-" both men blinked at the table as a full breakfast appeared in front of them with a note in the headmaster's familiar scrawl, 'Have a good morning boys and there is a meeting in the Grand Hall at eight-thirty, I hope to see you there.'

The potions master just shook his head, "Meddling dotty old man."

James nodded as he sipped on a steaming cup of coffee that had appeared along with the rest of the food. Harry giggled, "Cake-cake-cake-cake!" He shouted as he noticed a small chocolate cake that was in the middle of the table.

The animagus scrunched his nose, "I hate chocolate, and that isn't a breakfast food." James then looked over at the rest of Severus' side of the table, "Wow, haven't you ever heard of a well balanced meal?" he asked as eyed the sweet 'breakfast' food that was on Severus' side of the table

Severus simply glared at James as he poked at the large cinnamon roll in front of him, "I only eat like this when I eat in my rooms."

James blinked and shook his head, "Wow the headmaster knows you pretty well to be able to tell the kitchen what to make for you." Then the man grew serious as he looked Severus dead in the eye, "But you do understand that if we eat in here that you can't eat like that every time because I don't want Harry to pick up on a habit of eating sugary foods."

The potions master scowled, "There is nothing wrong with sweets."

"At the breakfast table there is, and if you don't like my opinion ask Padfoot what I did when he tried to pull that sh- stuff." James said completely serious, "When I was training breakfast was often the only meal that we would get, even when I completed my training it was rare to actually get time to eat anything, filling your stomach with actual food versus filling it with sweets can be the difference on whether you'll last the day or not."

Severus put his fork down and turned to watch Harry eat his mashed bananas, "Lucius and you would get along with that attitude."

James shrugged as he took a bite of his eggs, "If I remember correctly Malfoy actually took auror training before he took over his father's seat in the Wizagamont so I wouldn't be to surprised if he picked up that attitude the same way I did." Severus scowled and vanished his food and grabbed his plates and Harry's empty bowl and put them on the mat that would teleport them down to the kitchens he then got Harry out of his seat and took the boy back to his room. James just shrugged and turned back to his eggs.

Severus growled as he placed Harry down on the soft rug that covered the floor of the nursery, "Bloody Potter." he muttered and walked over to Harry's crib and pulled out the eagle plush and stuffed it into a small bag that he had found near the door.

"Pot?" Harry asked as he stood up on shaky toddler legs and took a few steps towards Severus before falling onto his bottom and just crawling to the man and the boy tugged on Severus' robe to get the man's attention. "Pot?" he asked again while he tilted his head like a puppy.

Severus sighed and stuffed a few more toys into the bag before he picked the child up again, "Not Pot, Pot-ter, it is your family name."

"Pot-ter-er?" Harry asked a confused look in his green eyes.

"Yes child, it is your family name, your daddy's name is James Potter and you are Harry Potter." Severus said as he took the child out of the nursery and headed towards the living room.

"Noes," The boy said solemnly, "Dada is Dada, no Wames, Dada Dada." The boy nodded and pointed at Severus, "Sev famwy, Sev Pot-ter-er?"

Severus nearly dropped the child in shock, "No, I am not a Potter."

Harry looked at Severus with confused eyes, "But Mama say chu famwy? Mama, Mama lies?" Harry asked with tears in his eyes.

The potions master panicked slightly as he turned to look at James who looked like he was trying to not laugh while he leaned against the countertop in the kitchenette, "No, your mother didn't lie to you, its- its complicated."

The tears in Harry's eyes vanished and he tilted his head again, "Com-pi-cat-ted?" the one year old articulated and a crease appeared in his brow, "Whaddat?"

Severus sighed, "I'll explain it to you when you're older."

The boy's face lit up, "Chu stay?"

Severus looked over at James before he turned and nodded at the baby, "Yes I'm staying."

Harry threw his arms around Severus' neck with a loud shriek of joy which caused both men to flinch, "No leave ever ever!" he shouted, "Me an' Dada an' Sev." James chuckled and pulled his son off of Severus and nuzzled his face into the baby's stomach which caused the baby to shriek with laughter, "Stop Dada, stop! No tickle me no tickle!"

James pulled away and gave the boy grin before he turned to Severus, "What do you think? Should I stop?"

"I think that you should get ready for the meeting, it is in twenty minutes and it takes five minutes to get out of this area in the dungeons." Severus drawled.

The animagus looked abashed, "Uh, I don't have any other clothes, and you're so skinny I doubt any of your robes would fit me, and black isn't my colour."

Severus raised an eyebrow as he took Harry from James' arms, "You're a wizard, you have a mastery in Transfiguration, I'm quite sure that you can think of something Potter." James looked embarrassed before he turned to go back to the bedrooms but managed to knock into the wall on his way so with a quick glance back at Harry and Severus while he clutched his nose as he carefully walked down the hallway to the bedroom.

Harry giggled, "Dada silly."

Severus shook his head, "Yes your Daddy is very silly."

Harry looked over Severus' shoulder into the bag that the potions master had swung over his shoulder, "Birdy." the baby chirped as he stretched his chubby arms towards the bag.

Severus raised an eyebrow before he carefully maneuvered himself and the child in his arms so that Severus could easily grab the eagle plush and give to Harry who immediately hugged to his chest as he cuddled into Severus.

James shuffled into the room in a new maroon robe and smiled at the seen, the snarky git, whom he had hated throughout his childhood, and his child, even a few days ago he would have hexed them silly, but now that he faced this situation he would have to say that he was glad that Severus had agreed to help. Even at the rare Order meetings where both of them were at the man never looked happy or relaxed (unless Lucius was there as well, the man could get Severus to at the very least stop scowling), but here and now with Harry cuddled into his chest the potions master looked happy. James quietly walked over and placed a hand carefully on Severus' shoulder which made the other man jump and scowl at him.

"What Potter?"

"We should probably head to the grand hall, meeting remember?"

Severus' scowl deepened, "Perhaps one of us should stay here with… Harry, he's never been around this many people before."

James smiled softly and pulled the cranky man closer to him, Severus twitched but didn't move away which made the ex-auror's smile widen, "My little man will be fine, he has his Uncle Sev to keep him calm."


	4. Telling

... Yeah... please review... I NEED FEEDBACK ON WHETHER I'M DOING THIS RIGHT.

Severus was quite sure that the hall had never been as quiet. The only sound that could be heard was Hagrid's sobs which were slightly stifled by his ridiculous tablecloth handkerchief. Severus was also quite sure that he had never had every single student stare at him, even when Albus had introduced him as the new potions master he hadn't had this much attention. Of course most of the attention wasn't on him, but the stubborn brat that had refused to sit in his father's lap since 'Unca Sev's' lap was _so_ much better.

So here Severus was, with nearly five hundred students eyes glued on the baby gnawing on 'Birdy' completely oblivious to the shock and awe that he had just inspired.

"Why is that greasy git holding him." A shout came from the Gryffindor table as a fifth year stood up and glared as the potions master, "He's a dark wizard, a Death Eater, so why is holding the- the-" the boy struggled to find the right words, "The-boy-who-lived?"

James stood up at that and growled angrily at the boy, "If it wasn't for Professor Snape than both myself and my son would be dead, and he has never been a Death Eater, he has always been on the side of the Light."

This caused an uproar in the room; Hufflepuffs chatting about how cute that was, Ravenclaws wondering about how the new professor knew this information, Gryffindors yelling that Snape was obviously a Death Eater, and the soft murmur from the Slytherin table as their thoughts and the rumors that some of them had heard from their parents about Severus' status was confirmed.

Harry looked up, startled, at the sudden uproar and he turned to burrow his head into Severus' robes as he tried to hide from the noise. Dumbledore stood up from his seat and raised his arms, "SILENCE!" He shouted which made the whole room shush as if hit with a silencing charm. And then a noise arose from the edge of the teacher's table where Severus sat.

Harry cried and his tiny body convulsing as he sobbed into the man that held him. Severus glared first at the students before he turned his glare to the Headmaster, "If you excuse me, I need to calm him down, _all_ of you dunderheads have managed to upset him." He said clearly enough that the entire hall could hear him over Harry's cries, Severus then stood and quickly made his way out of the room as he gently shushed the toddler who was clutched tightly to the potions master's robes.

Once they left the room Dumbledore cleared his throat, "Yes, now then, I will have your head of houses hand out your new schedules and please enjoy your Friday off as I am quite sure that, come Monday, that none of the staff will allow for this impromptu day off to affect their lesson plans, Mr. Scottelle, I believe that you should come with me to my office, I wonder what your mother will think of your outburst? Oh yes Sinestra dear, could you please do the Slytherin schedules for Severus? Thank you dear."

The fifth year who had shouted paled as he and the rest of the students began to filter out of the grand hall and to scatter throughout the school and grounds in various groups to talk or to write letters to family members to tell what had happened.

"James?" Dumbledore asked as he looked at the melancholic man who stared at a eagle plush in his hands as if it was the only thing that he could see. The headmaster put his hand on the younger man's shoulder surprising him, "Are you alright James?"

James smiled, his eyes distant, "I was just thinking that I should ask Lily about how I should do the lessons for the kids, then I remembered that... but it didn't really hit me till I thought 'Oh, I could just ask Severus.' What the hell is wrong with me, my wife just died and I'm thinking about lesson plans and how cute Severus is when he sleeps and did you know that you forgot to add a room for me?" He asked as he looked at the sparkly eyed old man, not even noticing what he had just babbled about to the old man.

"Hm, did I? Oh well, I'll ask Hogwarts if she'll add the room for you, but I don't know if she will, she's a stubborn old lady." The headmaster said with a twinkle, "And it is good that you are moving on, Lily would be proud that you are, you have a son to think about and Severus to, he's been so lonely lately even if he won't admit it. And I think that it will be good for him to have a young one to watch you should see his face light up when Lucius leaves Draco with him."

The headmaster stroked his beard, "Yes, yes, its very good for him, as for lessons, I think you would probably be better off if you ask Minerva about lessons, Severus is afraid that if he is too nice to the students that they will become careless with their potions. I believe that a proper defence class is built on trust that the professor has the ability to protect the students." The old man stopped stroking his beard and smiled at James, "Well have a good day m'boy, I believe that I should go and see Madame Rosmerta for a butterbeer. And remember you're not alone in this, you have Severus and Harry with you." With that the old man left the now confused animagus as he sat at the edge of the hall, the eagle plush still clutched in his hands.

Severus hummed as he held the still sobbing child in his arms, "Now, now, shush." the potions master muttered, "Honestly between you and your father, I'm going to lose my reputation as a scary bat, how will I keep those foolish brats from blowing themselves up if they think I'm nice." Slowly Harry's sobs faded into whimpers and then slowly they became soft snores as the child fell asleep on his shoulder.

"He's sleeping a lot more than normal." James commented from where he stood next to the door.

Severus frowned, "When did you get here Potter?"

The newest member of the Hogwarts staff shrugged, "A few seconds ago?"

"That sounded like a question."

James held up his hands in mock surrender, "Do you really think I pay attention to that sort of thing?" He walked over to the other man and took Harry from him carefully, "He left that eagle plush in the Grand Hall."

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Did you leave it in the Grand Hall?"

James shook his head, "Nah I was too lazy to carry it, so I shrunk it and put it in my pocket." Severus just rolled his eyes and went over to his kitchenette and pulled out two mugs and a baby bottle and made tea and a bottle just in case Harry woke up, "You're pretty good at that Severus."

"Hm? Don't call me Severus." Severus muttered distractically as he placed the tea on the table and he pulled his wand out and summoned a soft blanket and laid it on the floor near the living room, "Put the brat down on that, we need to talk."

James frowned at how short Severus seemed to be with him now, while this morning the man seemed to have been at least trying to warm up to him, "Sure Sev."

"Don't call me that."

"Well you don't want me to call you Severus." Severus glared at James as they sat down at the table after James set Harry gently down on the blanket, "So what do you want to talk about?"

"What is going on." James blinked in confusion which caused Severus to pinch the bridge of his nose, "What are you planning Potter, Lily's funeral, informing Tuney-"

"Who's Tuney." James cut in which earned him a glare from the irate potions master.

"Lily's sister."

The animagus looked sheepish, "Oh, yeah, forgot about her, her husband is incredibly stupid and boring."

Severus rolled his eyes, "And what about your pet mutt and his wolf, what are you going to do about them."

James' face crumpled and the man sighed, "I can't believe I was suspicious of them, I mean, I never even thought that Peter… I mean Wormy never seemed the type to just- I never thought." James put his head in his hands and Severus looked away, he knew that the former Gryffindor wouldn't appreciate someone watching him breakdown. "I need to apologize to them, I need to tell Petunia about her sister, I need to go back to Godric's Hollow to see if I can recover anything. Merlin, Severus what do I do?"

The potions master turned to look at the other man slightly shocked that he would ask him what to do, Severus coughed nervously for a second before he looked down at Harry, "I believe that you should inform Tuney about Lily today, perhaps visit Godric's Hollow as well. Black is probably at the Ministry filling out paperwork or chasing Pettigrew, and no one has seen Lupin in four months since he went to Germany to talk to the pack there."

James sat there for a second, "I should send Remy a letter, tell him what happened, just in case Sirius forgets. He always forgets to tell Remus the important stuff." He then looked at Severus with large hazel eyes like some sort of demented puppy, "I don't want to face Petunia alone." He whined.

Severus sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "I'll pack a few nappies for Harry in the bag and see if I can get him to drink some milk, you write your letter then we'll go to Tuney's." James nodded and ran off to find paper. Severus shook his head and glared down at the baby sleeping on the floor, "You are making my life difficult." His greatest hope had been that he would never see Petunia Evans after she had left Spinner's End.

James looked nervously at the incredibly muggle neighborhood, "Well this place is… nice?"

Severus rolled his eyes as he adjusted the babbling toddler on his hip (he wondered if his eyes would fall out with how often he seemed to be doing that), "Just say its creepy and get it over with."

"Malfoy manor is creepy, Sirius' mom's place is creepy, the forbidden forest is creepy, this- this- this place is just sad." James shook his head, "I can't even tell which house is Petunia's, they all look the same."

The potions master scowled, "I think she lives at number four Privet Drive."

"How do you know that?" the animagus asked.

"Lily made me mail their Christmas card last year." Severus muttered as he walked across the street towards a house with ridiculously neat flower beds, the exact opposite of what Severus remembered Mrs. Evans' rose garden had been. "This is it."

James scrunched his nose, "It's so… plain."

"Then it fits Tuney." Severus growled as he stepped onto the porch and knocked.

A few seconds later the door opened to reveal a sour faced horse-like woman holding a small red beachball wearing a bonnet and a nappy. "What are you two doing here." She spat out.

"We came to tell you something, important Petunia." James said gently as he wondered why she had a red beachball in her arms.

"We need to talk Tuney." Severus said at the same time as James as he marveled over the realization that the beachball had feet and hands but no arms or legs, muggles came up with the strangest ideas.

The woman's nose flared in the same way that a horse would, "If you must, and get in quick before the neighbors see you."

Soon they were all in the living room, James shared the couch with as Severus had Harry in his lap and the beachball _rolling_ on the while it shook its hand and foot-like appendages while Petunia cooed at it like it was a child (which maybe it was, now that the two men looked closely at it) from one of the chairs. Eventually the two men exchanged uncomfortable glances. The room seemed almost sterile and it was filled with pictures of the red beachball. 'Is that a baby?' James mouthed silently to Severus who nodded in disgust while Harry just babbled away to Severus about Birdy the eagle intermixed with the child gnawing on the poor thing's wing. James cleared his throat, "Petunia we, we came to talk about Lily."

Petunia glared at James, "She is not living with us."

Severus glared while James stuttered, "W-what?"

"You just used her to get a baby didn't you? I always told her you were scum, unlike my Vernon. I'm not surprised at all that you used her to get your spawn and then have your homosexual," She sneered at the word as if it was some sort of week old garbage, "lover take care of it. Lily should've known better than to mix with freaks like you she should have stuck with normal people and forgotten both of you and that freakish school of yours." She said with her nose up in the air which made her look snootier than any pureblood that either man had ever seen.

"Are you stupid?" Severus asked completely shocked, "My magic would allow me to carry a child, and I would never sleep with a Potter, or do something like that to Lily." He said frantically which caused Harry to look up at him with large eyes and babble some more, "Lily is dead you horse-faced bitch, grow-up and look around you. This is not normal, your son looks like a beachball and Dursley was always a bully, or don't you remember him dragging Lily by her pigtails through the mud when we were kids, he nearly scalped her. You used to have ambition, now you're a house-wife surrounded by pictures without a trace of your family or personality." He got up and placed Harry on his hip, "Lily would cry if she saw you now." He sneered and walked out of the room in a way that if had been wearing normal robes instead of muggle jeans would've most likely made a snapping sound as he moved.

James tore his eyes away from Severus' arse (which he wasn't admiring at all) and gave the angry woman a sheepish look, "I'll owl you the date for Lily's funi-"

"Don't you dare. Get out of my house. Get out of my life. Forget about Lily. Forget about me. Let me live a normal life. Now get out." She snapped sharply, "How dare you come into my house, you filthy freaks!"

James stood up and with a glare walked out of the house to where Severus stood fuming at Petunia's actions, "Are all the nosy housewives looking?" James asked darkly.

Severus looked around and noticed a bunch of curtains that were slightly parted, "Yes I think they are, but wha-"

"Good." James growled and grabbed the back of the potions master's neck and slammed their faces together. In the middle of Privet Drive, right in front of the Dursley residence, James Potter kissed Severus Snape.


	5. Afternoon

The kiss, if it could be called that, wasn't very comfortable, it was more like a head slam with teeth and with a toddler in-between them it was even less so. But Severus felt like some stupid Hufflepuff third year girl getting their first kiss with how hopeless the kiss was. When they parted the first thing that Severus wanted to do was crucio Potter into his next lifetime, but he restrained himself when James press their foreheads together and gently muttered, "Gives them something to talk about without us breaking the law."

Severus outwrite laughed as he tried to hide his blush, "You are insane James," He smiled a smile that didn't reach his eyes at the other man and pushed Harry towards him, "Just know that I will kill you should you do that again."

"Admit it it was funny, and you called me by my name." James said with a warm smile, he knew that the neighbors were still watching them and happy that the other man had called him by his first name.

"Shut up Potter." Severus scowled

James laughed as he took Harry and rubbed Severus' cheek which made the other man's blush worsen, "Call me James." He then turned and waved at the white faced Petunia who stood at the doorway of her home, "Bye Tuney!" James said loudly and quite flamboyantly which caused Harry to giggle in his Daddy's arms. The woman's face lost what was left of its color and she quickly slammed the door shut as if that would stop the rumors that would be flying around come evening. James just shook his head, "Don't you love muggles and their stupid prejudices?"

"Were any of your family Slytherins by any chance?" Severus asked (teased).

James' smile faded and a grim expression took over, "No." he said with a clipped voice, "We need to go to Godric's Hollow now." he then turned and walked the way they had came into the neighborhood which led to a small forest where it was safe for them to apparate.

Severus just stood there for a second, confused by James' reaction, from how the man had acted for most of the day and how he had acted the night before with Ms. Silva Severus had thought the man wasn't as prejudice to Slytherins as he had been when they were kids, but apparently he still was, at least to the suggestion that there could be a Slytherin in his family. Severus scowled, the man made fun of muggle prejudices but still held onto his own. The potions master strolled towards where James had gone and ignored the pain in his chest (it had nothing to do with the stupid Potter of course, most likely heartburn).

James stood at the edge of the ruins of his home with tears in his eyes, "I'm going in." he muttered to Severus, "Why don't you take Harry for a little bit."

Severus nodded curtly and took the solemn toddler who seemed to recognize what was in front of them. James walked into the wreckage and Harry looked up at Severus, "Unca Sev?"

"Yes?"

"Da owie is here too."

Severus looked down at the child, "What do you mean by that child?" He asked softly.

The boy's eyebrows scrunched in concentration before he pointed at Severus' left arm, "Owie." He said before he pointed to his own forehead, "Owie." and then the toddler pointed to the wreckage, "Owie."

Severus' eyes widened, "You can see dar- you can see owies?"

Harry looked up at Severus with trusting eyes, "Yah, cantchu see owies?"

Severus shook his head, "That is very special Harry."

Harry's eyes lit up, "Hawwy spechal?"

The potions master laughed softly at the joy in Harry's eyes, "Yes child you are very special."

"Yay!" The boy shouted before he stuck Birdy back into his mouth and looked back at the house.

Severus shook his head and looked towards the wreckage and watched as James came out with a slightly charred trunk, "I found my trunk, Lily and I kept most of our stuff in it just in case we needed to get out quick." He said with a grin.

Severus just scowled at him, "Your son can see dark magic Potter."

James looked at the other man with a confused look, "Huh, Harry can see dark magic? That explains why he never like Pe- Pettigrew, he must of felt his Mark, but then why does he like you?"

"Noes!" The boy whined, "Dat owie, no suppose to be dere."

The potions master raised an eyebrow, "You know your son also has quite a large vocabulary for a fifteen month old."

James shrugged, "Lily and I didn't really have much else to do other than teach him to talk and walk for a year, he refused to be potty trained though." James crinkled his nose and looked at the baby, "You're a pain you know." Harry giggled and reached towards his father and managed to hug the man's head while still remaining in Severus' arms while he clutched Birdy in one of his tiny fists.

"Love you." Harry said and he placed a wet kiss on his Daddy's cheek and then he turned to Severus and hugged his neck, "Love you too!" Harry said as he placed another sloppy kiss on Severus. James laughed at Severus' shocked expression. "Wha'?" Harry asked as he looked between the two men, "Me love bot' o' yous."

"I know little man," James said as he ruffled the mop on top of the one year old's head, "Sev's just not used to you yet."

Harry frowned, "But Mama tol' me Sev'll be my Papa?"

James and Severus shared a look of total shock, "Harry when did Mommy tell you that?" James asked.

"Dis mornin. She say bye-bye."

Severus and James exchanged a look, "I don't- do you?"

James shook his head, "I don't know what is going on eith-"

"PRONGS!" Suddenly James was pushed away from Severus and Harry as a blur of orange and black tackled him to the ground, "Prongs." Black sobbed into James' chest, "Please tell Moony I didn't mean to call him the lady in our relationship."

James looked at the man clutched to his chest, "Moony's back?" He asked dumbly.

"Yes, I got back this morning, Albus firecalled me last night." Remus said as he walked up to Severus to offer a finger to Harry for him to shake, "And then ten minutes ago he suggested that I become his housewife. Hello Severus, how are you doing?"

The potions master nodded, "I'm stuck with that idiot," He jerked his head towards James and Sirius had started to wrestle, "what do you think Lupin?"

The werewolf shrugged, "I got James' letter, are you alright with him staying with you?"

Severus scowled, "If he gets his own room."

Remus raised an eyebrow, "You don't like him sleeping on your couch."

Severus snorted, "He slept in my room and _cuddled _me."

"Yeah, he's a cuddler." The werewolf said with sympathy, "He's worse than Sirius."

The potions master gave Remus a look, "Did you three sleep together or something?"

"On full moons we usually ended up falling asleep in the shrieking shack, we'd usually wake up with Peter on the bed and the three of us sleeping on the floor." The werewolf said sheepishly, "So how are you doing Severus."

Severus sighed, "I'm fine."

Remus looked at him, "If you need any help I'll be there." And then the man grinned sheepishly, "Well except for on the full moon of course."

"Of course." The potions master turned to see James still wrestling with the auror, "Should we stop them?"

"I think that there is a small café near the village's center, we could just tack a note to the trunk and hope they notice when they stop, I'm sure Harry would like lunch, wouldn't you Harry?"

Harry nodded and held his chubby arms out, "Unca Moo!" the boy said eagerly as he bounced in Severus' arms.

Remus laughed, "I think that is a yes, hold on I have notebook in my pocket." The werewolf quickly wrote a note to tell the two children where they would be. "Alright, we can leave them here, I wonder if that café has camomile?"

Severus shrugged as he adjusted his hold on Harry who had decided that he had to squirm eagerly around at the sight of his 'Unca Moo', "Brat what are you doing?" Severus muttered as he and the werewolf began to walk through the small village.

Harry looked up at Severus with eager puppy eyes, "Unca Moo hol' Hawwy?"

Remus laughed, "And here I was worrying that he wouldn't recognize me."

"Why would you think that?" Severus asked with a raised eyebrow as he handed the tiny terror to the werewolf.

"Because he hasn't seen me in six months." Remus said as he accepted the blabbering toddler from the taller man.

Severus blinked and then shook his head, "Honestly," he muttered with a slight smile, "Wolf, he recognized me at first sight, he was so happy that I wasn't a picture but actually me. If Lily did that for me, do you think that Potter wouldn't for you?"

The werewolf blushed and looked at the toddler, "Is that true Harry? Did your Daddy show you pictures of me?"

Harry nodded, "Uh-huh Dada show pic-a-turess of Dada an' Pa'foo' an' Moo, an'," Harry scrunched his tiny nose, "Womy." he said in slight disgust before his expression brightened, "An' Mama ssow pic-a-ture of Ganma an' Ganpa an' Ganmama an' Ganpapa an' Unca Sev." Harry then looked up at Remus, "Mama say dat Unca Sev will be my Papa like Dada is Dada."

Remus stopped and looked over at Severus, "What does that mean?"

Severus clenched his jaw, "Apparently Lily visited him this morning and told him that."

"But Lily-"

"I know, and he knows to, it must've just been his imagination."

Remus frowned and hoisted Harry into the air causing the child to giggle madly, "I guess, oh, hey its the café." The werewolf pointed ahead of them at a small store that had a small patio off to the side where a few people sat. Remus smiled, "It's kinda cute, what do you think Severus." the werewolf gave the potions master a puppy eyed grin and skipped off with a laughing Harry in his arms.

Severus just shook his head, "All of them are children, mercy upon any spawn that Lupin and the dog produce." He muttered as he walked into the small shop. Where Lupin was talking to the hostess at the front.

"...and we're expecting two other people to show up, they're quite loud and obnoxious and have a habit of acting like a pair of twelve year boys so just point them in our direction." Remus said as he bounce the toddler in his arms.

The young woman nodded, "Of course, sir," She grabbed some menus, "Would you like a table outside?"

Remus shook his head, "I believe that a table inside would be best," he gave her a sheepish look, "Wouldn't want to attract negative attention from any passersbys from the way they act."

She laughed, "Alright then lets get you two a table and I'll go get this little cutie a high chair."

After they sat down the hostess came back with a high chair and some baby crackers. Harry babbled as the two men ordered tea and sandwiches along with coffee for Sirius and James.

Remus smiled at Severus once the hostess (who apparently was the only waitstaff on an early friday afternoon) left, "Thank you."

Severus crossed his arms over his chest, "For what?"

"I have a feeling that if you weren't around he'd be dead."

The potions master tensed, "I don't know what you mean."

"So you didn't follow You-Know-Who to the Potter Cottage?"

Severus looked down sadly, "I wasn't quick enough, if only my spellwork had been-"

"Shut up."

Severus glared at the werewolf, "Excuse me?"

Remus scowled, "It wasn't your fault, following someone's apperation trail is extremely complicated especially if you don't want to be splinched and you don't know where you were going. Its amazing that you actually got there at all." The both stopped and looked up as the hostess brought over their tea and when she left Remus turned back to Severus, "You wouldn't have been able to stop him anyway, you would've just died along with them if you had been there sooner."

Severus sipped at his tea as he looked over to Harry who was again gnawing on the poor eagle that he'd found for the boy the night before.

"Oi," Both men looked up to see Sirius and James enter the small café, Sirius' auror robes transfigured into a bright orange jacket over muggle jeans and a button down shirt, "Why'd you leave without us?" Sirius asked with a scowl, "I mean I understand Snivill- er Snape doing that but you Moony." The auror whined as he flopped down next to his lover and rested his head on the werewolf shoulder while he offered a finger to Harry like Remus had done before.

"Sorry about him Severus, he still thinks we're in school." James said with a smile as he sat down next to the potions master who just scowled into his tea as he wished he was anywhere but next to two (he didn't count Remus) of his tormentors.

"Prongs." Sirius whined.

James just glared at his best friend, "We discussed this Padfoot."

Sirius sighed and looked at Severus, "Snape, I know Lils already forced Padfoot to do this," James glare seemed to intensify, "and now it is my turn to apologize for being a total and utter git to you at Hogwarts and I swear on Remy's life that I'll try to make it up to you somehow."

"When you and Lupin have puppies I want fair warning so I can begin administering potions that will prevent the lycanthropy from spreading." Severus said.

Sirius gaped and Remus blushed, "Huh?"

"That'll make it up to me, truly I understand that in our school days, and still to this day, you are an incurable imbecile and I don't expect much from you. But please take precautions, I promised Lily that I would keep Harry safe, I can't really do that if your spawn is prowling around on full moons." Severus then looked straight at Remus, "I'll also be making you the Wolfsbane potion so don't go running off somewhere, you need to stay close."

Remus smiled as he realized what Severus ment while Sirius gaped and James looked at Severus with joy in his eyes, "Thank you Severus." Remus said.

"What?" Sirius exclaimed at the same time.

James rolled his eyes, "Don't worry your little head about it Siri, I'm quite sure all of that just went straight over your head." The ex-auror teased his friend.

Sirius scowled but it quickly turned into a grin as the hostess came with sandwiches, "Aw, Moony you remembered." Sirius exclaimed as he dug into the sandwich that Remus had ordered him.

James laughed as he picked at his sandwich and then murmured spell under his breath, "It isn't poisoned Potter." Severus muttered.

James nodded as he took a bite, "I know, but Moody practically killed me while trying to ingrain the habit into me, now its just a habit."

Severus scrunched his nose, "Don't talk with your mouth full Potter there are impressionable children at this table."

"But there is only one kid not multiple?" Sirius asked through a bite of his sandwich.

The potions master raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Remus who burst out laughing, "Whatever you say Padfoot." Remus said to the confused auror.

Sirius looked at James who just grinned, "Don't worry about it Pads just ignore them."

* * *

><p>Thank you reviewers and people who've read this so far, I know it kinda sucks but I'm working on it :)<p> 


	6. Evening

James sighed as he sat down on Severus' cushy couch with Harry asleep in his arms, "Wow we were gone for a long time."

Severus nodded as he walked into the room from his lab (and office) with a stack of second year essays, "Don't forget Potter you still have to go to Gringotts to get Lily's will and you still need to make lesson plans for your classes."

James groaned, "I don't wanna do anything tomorrow."

"Then do it tonight." Severus retorted as he sat at the kitchen table red ink and quill in hand, "Gringotts is open twenty-four hours a day and lesson plans don't have a strict time for when you need to make them."

The ex-auror turned and glared at Severus, "Why can't you just let me wallow?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Both men lapsed into a comfortable silence as the scratching of Severus' quill and the soft murmur of 'dunderhead' every few seconds under his breath. Eventually James began to slowly join his son in dreamland.

Suddenly the portrait opened and a blur of green and black tumbled in waking both Potters from their dreams. "Wotcher, professor!" the blur shouted before it tackled the potions master in his seat and nearly knocked both of them into the wall.

Severus sputtered, "Ms. Tonks, what have I told you before about personal space?"

The green haired girl gave the man a cheeky grin, "Well I don't have to worry about you taking points from me." She said in a sing-song voice.

"What are you doing here anyway Ms. Tonks?" Severus asked the first year as he pried her off of his shoulders which made the girl fall to the ground in a heap.

"Well Prof," She said as she stood up and brushed off her robes, "I have three reasons, reason one I came to see if we would still have tutoring tomorrow?" She looked up at him with large, and quite literal, puppy eyes.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Yes we will still be having our tutoring tomorrow, your potion work makes Mr. Weasley's potion work look amazing and he blows up cauldrons on a regular basis."

Tonks giggle but then her hair changed to black and she gave the professor a serious look, "My second reason's simple, Sarah went to Pomfrey earlier, do the girls and I have you to thank for that?" Severus nodded and the girl smiled and wrapped the man in a hug, "Thanks then." She muttered.

"Dunderhead." Severus stated as he again pried the girl off of him, "You sound like a Hufflepuff."

"Hey, my Pops was in Hufflepuff and he turned out great!"

Severus gave the girl a leveled look, "Nymphadora Tonks, you are a Slytherin." he drawled.

Tonks growled and her hair changed to Gryffindor red, "Don't call me Nymphadora." it was quite a funny sight, a girl barely four feet tall versus the nearly six foot tall professor.

The potions master just rolled his eyes, "And what was your third reason for being here Ms. Tonks?" he drawled.

The first year blinked and her hair faded back to green, "I wanted to see the baby, duh."

James chuckled at the banter between Severus and this student which caused them to both look at him and he raised his arm in greeting, "Hi."

The girl squealed and tripped her way across the room so she was staring looking at Harry and James, "He's adorable, and the old one is cute too" She then turned to give Severus a cheeky grin and a wink, "You did good Prof, see you later, buh-bye." Tonks scampered across the room and out of the portrait leaving both James and Severus confused while Harry just yawned and went back to sleep.

"What- er, who was that?" James asked as he stood up.

"Andromeda Black's and Ted Tonks' daughter, I tutor her on Saturday afternoons along with a few other of my first years," Severus rolled his eyes as he separated the essays back into the piles that the walking wall of chaos had managed to destroy, "Chaos follows her wherever she goes and Grandfather adores her so he never says no when she wants to come in here." Severus picked up the two piles of essays and walked into his office and then returned, "I'm going to bed, I'll bring you out a pillow and blanket, do not transfigure my furniture as some of it has been at Hogwarts long enough that they've managed to develop personalities." With that Severus twirled around leaving a shocked James in his wake.

"Wait why can't I sleep in your room?" James asked.

"Because you're a child." Severus muttered, "Put Harry to bed and then go to sleep Potter, I'll keep an eye on him tomorrow morning so you may go to Gringotts without him." The potions master then walked over to his wardrobe and pulled a blanket out from the bottom and summoned a pillow from his bed and shoved them into James' arms, "Goodnight Potter." Severus said as he closed the door quietly and headed back to the wardrobe to get his pyjamas for the night. He then placed them down on his bed and growled when he realized that he would have to leave the room again as he needed to shower and complete his nightly routine and, in doing so, have to deal with James' kicked puppy look.

"He brought it upon himself." Muttered Severus, he _knew_ that James had lied to him in Surrey, his stony face at the mention of a Slytherin in his family while Severus _knew_ (from Regulus' rants before the younger man had gone missing) that James' grandmother was a Black and a Slytherin. If James had just laughed it off or even just ignored Severus' attempt at a joke, then it would've been fine. But the ex-auror had outright lied to him.

Severus took in a deep breath and quickly left his room to go to the bathroom, glad that James was nowhere in sight (most likely from the muttering the man was complaining to his sleeping son). Severus sighed as he slipped into his bathroom and disrobed to shower. The potions master quickly turned on the water and stepped in, he gave a silent praise to the magic which made the water hot automatically. Severus had just begun to put shampoo in his hair when he heard the door open and shut, "Potter, I'm in here, in case you couldn't tell." The potion master snapped.

"Yeah, well you can't close the door on me in here." James said, "I was just wondering what I did to get sent to the couch, I thought we decided yesterday that we were both adult enough to share a bed?" Severus didn't say anything, instead he decided to ignore the other man and so he continued to wash his hair. James sighed and shuffled around a little bit, "Look I'm sorry about whatever the hell I did, I'll sleep on the couch tonight and tomorrow after I get back from Gringotts I'll check with Albus to see if there are any extra rooms in the castle and-"

"There is no need for that Potter, now get out of my bathroom and go to bed." Severus snapped as he pulled back the certain enough to glare at the other man.

James stood against the counter with a confused look on his face, "huh?"

"You heard me go to bed." James gave Severus a confused look and the potions master growled under his breath, "You can sleep in my bed again tonight, but we _must _impress the importance of this issue onto Albus tomorrow." James grinned and with a short 'good night Severus' the Gryffindor left the room.

The potions master just blinked for a moment as he realized what he had told the other, "Damn that man." Severus growled as he turned back to the water and continued to wash and grumble.

Severus could feel a twitch forming as, for the second time in as many days James was on _his_ bed and reading one of _his_ books, "Potter, I said 'bed' not relax and read one of my books, while _naked_."

James looked over the edge of the book and shrugged, "I couldn't remember the password for Lily's side of the trunk and she had all the books, and I'm wearing sweat pants."

Severus walked over to the open trunk and tapped the part that was closed up with his wand, "Spinner park." The trunk opened up revealing an extended wizard space filled with women's clothes, baby's clothes, and books.

"How'd you know?" James murmured over Severus' shoulder.

"Its the place where she learned that she was a witch. Now give me my book back."

James pouted, "No, I'm reading it."

The potions master sighed and waved his wand and muttered a quick housekeeping charm which made the clothing separate into three separate piles of mens, womens, and toddler things and the books flew to a empty bookshelf that, Severus guessed, the house elves had added to his bedroom at some point during the day. Miscellaneous items remained neatly in either James' side of the trunk or Lily's since there was no place for them to go.

James whistled, "Wow, I've never seen that spell before."

Severus blushed, "A friend of mine, an American potions master, showed it to me during the last Potions Conference I went to, the hotel was overbooked and he'd forgotten to reserve a room at the hotel so he stayed with me, I believe that he said that the charm was actually made by his mother since they had traveled a lot when he was a child."

"Nifty." James grinned, "Now if only it could hang up clothes." he said with a wistful tone.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Do that spell yourself." he muttered as he gently placed Lily's pile back into the trunk and picked up Harry's bundle of clothes, "I'm going to put these in your spawn's room, and remember," Severus gave the other man a pointed look, "This isn't permanent so don't get comfortable."

James laughed, "of course not, I mean its not like you cuddled with me or anything."

Severus glared at the man and walked out of the room with the pile of clothes, "Stupid Potter." the potions master muttered as he closed the door, "I don't cuddle." he growled as he strode down the hall to Harry's room. Severus opened the door and nearly dropped the pile of clothes that he was carrying.

The room was filled with a dull glow as a ghostly figure stood over Harry, "What are you doing here." Severus whispered.


	7. Parseltongue and Diagon

The ghost of Slytherin house was not one that anyone would want to see near a child, especially when the child slept, ignorant of the terrifying specter which leaned over the crib. The Bloody Baron turned when he heard Severus whisper and he nodded, "Hello Severus Prince."

Severus moved forward warily and put the clothing away in the dresser near the door, "I'm not a Prince."

"You are a member of Prince family, your father's filth has nothing to do with you." The Baron murmured as he turned back to look at Harry, "It has been a long time since a Peverell has dwelled in my domain."

"He's a Potter." Severus muttered as he walked over to the crib and picked the sleeping child up.

The Baron nodded, "And he is a Peverell, just as my grandmother was."

Severus raised an eyebrow, "Your grandmother?"

The specter nodded and reached out as if to touch Harry, "Solace Slytherin née Peverell, although you might know more of her eldest son, my uncle, more."

"S-Salazar Slytherin, was your uncle?" Severus asked eyes wide with shock as he clutched Harry to his chest.

The Baron nodded and pulled his arm away from Harry and stared Severus directly in the eye, "He was not a pleasant man, but he was family, as is this child. Although, if I remember James Potter and his father, Harold Potter, correctly they never mentioned a Peverell trait that I know that their predecessor, Charlus Potter, a Ravenclaw, had mastered the ability when he was in his fifth year and he who called himself a 'Dark Lord' mastered it around the same time, although he was in his seventh year."

Severus blinked, he had never heard the ghost speak so much, "What ability, and why are you telling me any of this?"

"Parseltongue is such a rare gift nowadays." The baron muttered before he floated through the ceiling.

The head of the Slytherin house stood frozen as he held tightly to the child in his arms, "What the hell?" he muttered and shook his head to snap out of his shock. Severus looked down at the sleeping baby in his arms, "You're a pain and you don't even know why." Severus gently placed the baby back into the crib and left the room as he quietly closed the door and strode down the hall to his own door. Severus took a deep breath and opened the door.

James smiled as he looked up from his book, "Hey Severus this bo-" James' expression changed to panic and he quickly got up and ran across the room and Severus' face into his hands, "What happened? You look like you're about to faint, Severus look at-" The animagus cut off as Severus' fist made contact with the other man's stomach.

The ex-auror looked down between them, "Ow?" he said dumbly, "Thats the right response to you punching me?" Severus growled and James held his hands up in surrender, "I'm sorry?"

"You are an idiot Potter." James looked at Severus with a confused and sheepish expression, "You're a parseltongue, and don't deny it." the potion master growled when James opened his mouth to talk, "The Bloody Baron cannot lie. Now tell me Potter, did anyone know about your ability?" James opened and closed his mouth before his jaw snapped closed and shook his head, "What would've happened if the Dark Lord had killed you, your son would've been shipped off to an orphanage or worse to Tuney."

"But you would've-"

"It would take years for me to get custody," Severus cut off the other man, "I have a creature inheritance, in case you forgot that makes it impossible for me to adopt a child without having the support of at least one parent." Severus' shoulders slumped, "I wouldn't have been able to get Harry until well into his schooling," the potion master straightened his shoulders and glared at James, "how do you think kids or Petunia would react if they heard Harry talking to a snake? They would ostracize him, harm him, and he'd have no explanation other than it was because of some sort of connection that he had to the Dark Lord, what the hell do you think that would do to a child?" Severus hissed, even though he wanted to shout.

James looked chastised and hurt, "Dad hated snakes and he was the first Potter in centuries to not be able to speak parseltongue, he was afraid of it," James paused and looked at Severus with sad eyes, "he didn't even want me near my grandparents growing up because they wanted to teach me how to use Parselmagic, and when I met Sirius and Remus, who both come from Dark magic backgrounds and hate it, I learned how to ignore snakes completely, pretend that I didn't know what they were saying. I was afraid of losing my friends." James stepped forward and placed his forehead on Severus' shoulder, "I didn't even think about it when Harry was born, it'd been so long since I'd heard it." James pressed his head down and wrapped his arms around Severus, "Until… until… when he- he used Parselmagic to break the wards. Severus he's the heir of Slytherin, we're both descendants of the Peverell line." James seemed to shake as he held onto the man, "We're related." He shuddered, "He's lucky he didn't try to kill me, he would've ended up cursing himself to a life of a snake; unlike when he tried to kill Harry. Parselmouths can't kill each other with magic, the curse rebounded on him because of Harry's untapped ability." James snorted, "My wasted talent would've just made him ugly and scaly."

Severus sighed and gently began to pet the other man's hair as he began to sob, "Shush Potter, why are you crying."

"If I could use Parselmagic then we wouldn't have needed the Fidelius charm as the equivalent spell can be tied to a resident unlike the Fidelius, Lily would still be alive, I'd still have my wife, Harry'd still have a mother, and you wouldn't be stuck with us."

Severus sighed again, "Potter; first off neither of your mutts would've abandoned you just because you could speak a different language, second, your talent is only wasted for as long as you want it to be your father isn't around anymore to stop you from learning, and third," Severus lifted James' head from his shoulder and allowed his own pained black eyes to meet hazel eyes filled with similar pain, "nothing could've stopped the Dark Lord, he'd simply have found another way to kill all of you, the difference though he would've been that he'd know that he couldn't risk magic to kill Harry and yourself and then you would both be dead and the Dark Lord would still be… around." Severus carefully extracted himself from the other man, "And I'm not stuck with you, just your spawn, I just have to deal with you." He muttered.

James chuckled sadly, "Yeah."

Severus shook his head, "Well you're going to have to deal with Lucius and his son Draco a lot as well, Lucius often hides in my rooms when he can't deal with his whore of a wife any longer, the sooner he can divorce her the better."

The other man looked at Severus, slightly thrown off by the sudden change of subject, "I always thought that Narcissa and Lucius were at least friends from the way that they acted when I saw them at Hogwarts."

The potions master snorted, "She's a gold digging bitch, after she had Draco she started sleeping around and wasting Lucius' money. Lucius has been having a hard time for the past past two years now but he can't divorce her without proof of adultery and she is a Slytherin for a reason."

"Wow, Malfoy has a two year old kid." James muttered as he walked back to the bed, "I can't see him as a father, he's was so terrifying at Order meetings." the man flopped onto the bed and looked back at Severus, "We're not done talking about the Parseltongue thing are we?"

Severus nodded, "It can wait till tomorrow Pot- James, for now lets just sleep." James grinned as the potions master settled onto the other side of the bed. Severus just glared at the other man and dimmed the lights with a swish of his wand, "Goodnight." he muttered as he tucked his wand into his pillowcase and closed his eyes.

James lay his head down and closed his eyes, smile still on his face, "Goodnight Severus."

James opened his eyes slowly and groaned slightly, he shifted under the weight on his chest, he froze when he noticed the weight and looked down at the potions master currently using his chest as a pillow. The animagus chuckled and grabbed his wand from the side table, "Tempus." he muttered and groaned as the spell flashed five twenty-six. "Its way to early."

Severus shifted and looked up at James with sleepy eyes, "Hm?"

James smiled at the cute expression on the other man's face, "Nothing Sev, go back to sleep; I just need to step out for a bit." Severus just yawned and moved of his chest just to reach beneath him and steal James' pillow before he curled onto his own while cuddling the other one, "Doesn't cuddle huh?" the ex-auror muttered as he got up from the bed and walked over to the wardrobe to grab robes from his side (which was obviously his as the other side had only black robes and a green muggle hoodie), quickly changed his clothes, and tossed the sweats that he'd been wearing into the laundry basket hidden next to the wardrobe.

The ex-auror looked over his shoulder back at Severus before he quietly left the room and headed down the hall. James paused at his son's door and quickly peeked in to check on him. James grinned when he saw Harry cuddled with the eagle (he thought it was an eagle) that Severus had found for him, the baby, unlike other children, hadn't developed any sort of emotional connection with any plushie that him, Lily, or Sirius and Remus had given him, instead Harry switched between the various toys that they had gotten him. But he seemed to adore 'Birdy' as the baby had dubbed the plushie. James shook his head as he shut the door and quickly walked to the living room, "Leaving so soon Mr. Potter?" James whipped out his wand and turned to the voice only to curse softly at the portrait that was casually leaning against a painted library, Vladimir Prince raised an eyebrow, "Really now Potter, just because my grandson trusts you doesn't mean I do. I remember your father, he was the worst charms student that I ever had the displeasure of teaching and cruel to Slytherins, I was so happy to retire in his fourth year," The man sneered, "now inform me why I should not protest you being near my grandson, because I also remember the one summer that I was able to spend with Severus that you were just as cruel as your father to him."

James tucked his wand into one of his robe pockets and glared at the portrait, "Because I grew up; I'm quite sure that Dad never did that, because of him I grew up afraid of myself and afraid of what others would think about me, I never even knew my own grandparents and I regret that." James scratched his head and looked away, "Besides, seeing Severus like this, even in such a short time I understand what Lily always meant by not judging a book by its cover."

Vladimir's glare changed to a smile, "Good, I will inform Severus that you have stepped out for the morning, and that you haven't run away."

James snorted, "I'm a Gryffindor, I don't know the meaning of 'run away'."

James was glad that, even without his invisibility cloak that he could turn himself invisible. Reporters had been camped out in front of Gringotts muttering to each other over mugs of tea and cider that 'Potter would have to show up soon.' The ex-auror shuddered as he walked into the office of Gornuk, the goblin in charge of the Potter accounts.

"Do you think that they have creature blood or something, it looks like its going to sleet soon and they're just casually sitting on the steps?" James asked as he undid the invisibility charm from his person. Gornuk, used to James' rambling simply nodded as he continued with his paperwork. "Come on Gornuk, a response would be wonderful, you always say the right thing to make everyone else feel stupid."

"Considering the fact that they are sitting on the steps of Gringotts I'd have to say that making them feel stupid won't do much as it is probably something that they are so use to feeling that they wouldn't even notice." Gornuk muttered as he violently signed his name before carefully placing his quill back into its ornate holder before the goblin curled his hands together on his desk, "Good morning Lord Potter, I truly was not expecting you until later this week, but luckily I have no meeting scheduled for today, so we may get on with this."

James laughed, "Nice to see you too, how's your mate?"

Gornuk grunted and his face split into a grin, "My Isla is expecting within the next few months."

"Congratulations."

"Many thanks Lord Potter." Gornuk inclined his head before he reached into his desk, "Now onto business, as always," James chuckled, Gornuk was a great banker and an asset to all the families whose accounts he managed, but he wasn't that great with pleasantries or being subtle, "As you know, your father tried to cut you off from the Potter fortune, and nearly succeeded if it wasn't for the Misters Prewitt he would have managed which would have left you and your son with your mother's dowry vault. But as such you still have access to all Potter accounts, since your… disappearance," Gornuk sneered at that, "repairs on Potter manor have made headway, by June the manor should be finished and all you will do is bring in a wardmaker and an interior decorator."

James grimaced, he'd always hated the manor, it always had felt empty, but hopefully with Severus and Harry it wouldn't feel like that. "What about Lily?"

Gornuk nodded and pulled out several papers from his desk, "Lady Potter, like yourself made a will through our bank which left you and your son as the main benefactors along with a small collection of muggle items to be given to her sister. And as is tradition of any Lady of the wizarding world her body was sent to us in preparation for her funeral-"

"Lily told me that she wanted to be buried in a mixed community so that her muggle family could visit her grave." James cut in.

The goblin nodded, "I had guessed that that would be her decision," Gornuk smiled sadly (an odd expression on the face of a goblin), "Lady Potter was always an interesting person, she will be missed by more than just the Wizard community." Gornuk's face became a blank mask and he nodded shortly, "My suggestion would be Godric's Hollow, Lord Potter, and sometime within the next two weeks."

James nodded, "How about the ninth, its a Sunday and far enough off that I can alert our friends about it without it being so far off that Death Eaters would be able to make plans for the funeral."

Gornuk nodded and made note of it on one of the parchments and turned to look back at James, "I would suggest that you contact a lawyer or perhaps a solicitor so you may control the press and prevent slander." James nodded and Gornuk sorted the the paperwork spread over his desk, "Well that should be everything Lord Potter, I'm guessing that you still wish for your Lordship to be kept secret still."

James nodded as he accepted the papers from the goblin, "Yeah, I don't want to have to deal with that." The ex-auror sorted through the papers, "Can I have copies of stuff I should give my lawyer? And a copy of Lily's will?" Gornuk grunted and complied, "Thanks." James said as he stood up, "As always it was good to see you Gornuk, I hope that your vaults overflow with gold."

The goblin nodded, "As to you Lord Potter, I will be seeing you next time you decide to come in unexpectedly." Gornuk then returned to his paperwork as if nothing had happened.

With a quick tap of his wand James vanished from sight and left the office. James carefully walked through the bank and then sidestepped a few reporters before he headed towards Madame Malkin's. As he stepped in he tapped his wand and reappeared, "Rudy? You here?"

"Yes sir, what may I do- James?" Madame Malkin, a tall older witch who only ever wore smartly cut robes, gasped as she saw the young man that had entered her store, "James." She said with a smile and wrapped the man in a brief hug, "I'm so sorry for your loss, Lily was an amazing witch."

James sighed, "Thank you Rudy, it's good to see you."

"I'm surprised to see that you brave Diagon so soon, reporters are swarming Gringotts expecting you to show up."

James laughed, "Yeah, I was just there, I'd thought that if I went at six on a weekend that no one would be there, but, yeah."

"You didn't talk to any of those vultures did you?" The tailor asked worriedly.

"No, not until I have something to say and a solicitor to back me."

"Oh, why not go talk to the Prewitt boys, Lucius Malfoy funded an office for them across the street from the Apothecary, next to the cauldron shop."

James grinned, "They finally got an office huh, wow, I feel like I've been away a bit longer than two years."

The older witch pushed him slightly, "So why are you here James? Shouldn't you be with your son?"

The wizard turned grave, "I was hoping that you could make funeral robes for Lily, along with a wizarding wardrobe for my son, Lily and I were only able to get him muggle clothes and he doesn't have much left the fire destroyed most of his clothes."

Madame Malkin smiled sadly, "Of course dear, I'll get everything done by eleven."

"Thanks, I'll come and pick them up then." James smiled and tapped himself with his wand to vanish again which made the witch laugh.

"Behave James."

"Always."


	8. Prophecy

James slipped into the small office of the Prewett and Prewett Law Practice and laughed at the goofy interior, which screamed 'joke shop' instead of 'law practice'.

"Invisible laughter, well thats never a good sign Fabian, is it?"

"Why no-no it isn't Giddy."

James looked up at the pair of brunette brothers and chuckled, "Sorry, forgot the charm." The ex-auror muttered as he tapped his wand against his leg, "I heard Malfoy funded this office, is he aware of how… it, er, looks?"

Fabian, who was slightly shorter than his twin and was wearing a muggle suit, grinned, "Lucy actually finds it hilarious, he said to keep it this way so he wouldn't have to share our skills with any of the other stuck-up suck-ups that he has to work with."

Gideon (taller and in dress robes) nodded solemnly, "We owe a lot Lucius, first he warned us about that ambush and then he funded our dream office, I don't know where we would be without."

"Probably dead." James said with a straight face which caused both the twins to laugh (although Gideon's was more of a chuckle than his brother's full bodied laughs).

"Us, dead, please Potter, we're Slytherins I'd quite hope that we're a bit harder to kill than that." Gideon said.

"What can we do for you today?" His twin asked with a grin.

The animagus sighed, "We might want to sit down, this might take a bit of time."

Gideon abruptly turned to the back if the small building, "We have a small parlor where we conduct our business Potter, come."

James chuckled as he followed the taller man, "I'd forgotten how blunt you act compared to Fabian."

Fabian elbowed James, "Oi, how can you forget about us? Fellow pranksters and ne'er do wells? Slytherins? Your first year was our sixth? Our sister married your second cousin? Ring any bells?"

James shoved the other man playfully, "You're annoying."

"Your or you're?" grinned the brunette as he hopped the door as his brother opened it, "Come in, come in." James walked into the room and flopped into one of the cushy chairs that were abundant in the room as the brothers situated themselves across from him. "So," Fabian said, "What can we do for you Mr. Potter?"

The ex-auror rubbed his forehead, "I need a consultation for how I should deal with the press and I need to update my will as well."

The twins shared a look, "Our advice for the press is for you to release a statement about the prophecy that your son is involved in, by the way it was illegal for Dumbledore to tell the Order, and also to hire Fabian publically as your solicitor, the Prophet is afraid of him as he is one of the few who is willing to draw up lawsuits against them." Gideon said calmly, "Would you like some tea?" He added after a second. James nodded and the younger twin summoned their house elf and ordered tea, "Now what about your will?"

The ex-auror sighed, "I need to change it since Lily is gone and I need to respect her wishes in case I die."

Gideon pulled a muggle notebook from his robe's inner pocket, "Why don't we make notes over what you want to change. Thank you Nettles." The man cut off as the house elf reappeared with tea and served the three men, "Now, what changes would you like to change about your current will?"

"I want to change the main benefactors to my son instead of my wife. I would also like to add that if I die Severus Snape has permission to adopt my son as long as he allows Sirius Black and Remus Lupin to continue to have contact with him."

"And how would you like to word that? Do you wish to leave a clause or an exploitable loophole?" Gideon asked as he began to write in his journal.

James sighed, this was going to take a while.

Gideon viciously signed his name on the paper under James' while Fabian frowned at his cold tea, "That should do it." Fabian muttered, "Nettles can I have some new tea, and some food?"

With a pop the twins' house elf appeared with a tray of breakfast pastries which all three men gladly accepted. Gideon sighed as he shuffled the papers on the lap desk into a manageable pile before he tapped it with his wand which caused the papers to vanish to a filing cabinet deeper in their small office. Gideon settled down into his chair with his tea (unlike his brother he had cast a warming charm on the cup), "So Potter what the hell are you doing with your life now?"

James chuckled at the younger twin's bluntness, "I'm staying with Severus for the time being; He promised that he would watch over my son when he switched sides. I also was pressed into the service of the Hogwarts staff, I'm taking over the lower DADA classes as the professor is apparently being driven insane by the lower years."

Fabian shook his head, "Honestly the job has a jinx on it, the simplest way to keep that from happening would be to restructure the class and move the classroom itself. Then Dumbles would be able to keep a teacher for longer than a year."

"Aren't you two on speaking terms with Malfoy, he's head of the Board of Governors, why not suggest it to him?" James asked

Gideon scowled, "We have, and Lucius did suggested it but the Governors are all a bunch of stubborn old wizards who store their wands up their arses. Such a large change might just give them all heart failure."

James laughed and then looked at his watch and let out a curse, "I need to get going before the Saturday staff starts to get in the Ministry if I want to get a copy of the prophecy."

Fabian smiled, "Don't worry about anything here, Gideon will finish with the paperwork and I'll inform the Prophet that I'm representing you and that you'll release a statement sometime later this month. That should get them off your back for a bit."

James smiled and shook both men's hands and headed out of the building towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"Mr. Potter? Mr. Potter!"

James froze, "Fuck." He had forgotten to do the invisibility spell when he had left the office. The ex-auror turned and gave a grimace as he watched a short blonde reporter walk up to him.

"Mr. Potter it is so nice to meet you, I'm Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet, I'm sure you've heard of me. My readers would love to know how you feel about your wife's tragic death and your son's rise to fame." The witch smirked up at James, "Or could confirm the rumors that you have… taken residence with conformed Dark wizard Severus Snape?"

James frowned, "Perhaps you would like to talk to my lawyers, the Prewett brothers. As it is they'll be contacting the Prophet later about any slander that has occurred to Severus Snape, my wife, my son, or myself." The witch paled and scampered off leaving James to smirk as he walked into the dingy pub. And with a short hello to a sleepy Tom the man grabbed some of the floo powder and flooed to the ministry.

The ex-auror grunted as he tripped into the near-empty Atrium from one of the many fireplaces that lined the large room. With a quick wave of his wand he straightened his clothes and strode towards the desk manned by bored looking teen who looked only about eighteen was reading a muggle magazine, his nameplate read 'Jorge Shunpike, information desk assistant'.

"Hello, welcome to the Ministry of Magic how may I-" The boy looked up at James slack-jawed and quickly stood up, "Mr. Potter! What may I do for you today." The boy said enthusiastically.

James frowned, "I'd like to request a prophecy viewing in the Department of Mysteries."

The teen nodded like some sort of muggle bobble-head, "Of course sir." The boy puttered around his area before he lifted his magazine with a muttered "Ah-ha!". Under the magazine was a thick ledger. "Department of Mysteries, prophecy office." The teen tapped his wand to the book and waited a second while curly script appeared on the page, he looked up at James eagerly, "Madame Miriam is in today and has no meeting currently scheduled for the next six hours, would you like for me to request a meeting for right now?"

James nodded and the boy tapped the paper and muttered under his breath as he sat back down in his seat, "Its all set sir," the boy smiled up at him, "You may go down to the DoM whenever you want to."

"Thanks."

The boy smiled, "No, thank you, you saved my baby brother Stanley a few years ago, you were one of the best aurors ever."

James smiled, "I was just doing my job, same as any other auror."

The boy nodded, "I know, but in my eyes you're a hero because of that, not because of anything else." James smiled and politely said good-bye.

James looked at the small plaque on the door in front of him, 'Madame Ellen Miriam, Prophecy department, Hall of Knowledge, Department of Mysteries', he'd stared at it for several minutes now. To tell the truth James was scared. In this room he would hear the prophecy that had led to his wife's death and would affect his son's future.

The door opened and James jumped, "Are you just going to stare at my door, or are you going to come in Lord James Harold Potter?" an eerily calm voice asked from the room beyond.

The ex-auror frowned, outside of Gringotts most thought that the Potter Lordship had ended with his grandfather, how did this person know he had his Lordship? He slipped his wand up his sleeve and entered the room. James looked at the witch who sat on the other side of the room whose wide slightly vacant eyes seemed to be drawn into the small orb in her palms.

"Greetings Lord James Harold Potter, father of Hadrian James Potter and-" She cut up and smiled up at James with her vacant eyes, "Well you don't need to know… any of it yet."

"Any of what?" James asked, set on edge by the fact that she knew his son's full name; something that no one other than him and Lily knew about that, as, like many purebloods believed that full names could hold power over a child.

The vacant eyed woman, who he realized was probably Ellen Miriam, smiled, stood up, seemed to glide over to James, "It doesn't matter yet, all will happen when it should and all will be revealed when it will." The woman smiled, "History is not made by prophets, history is made by those who choose. This is what you came here for right?"

James looked at the woman and calmly nodded and took the orb, "How do I…"

"Activate it?" She smiled and glided back to her seat, "You just open your mind my dear."

James sighed and dropped his occlumency shields as he looked into the swirling blue insides of the orb. He jumped as he hear a voice enter his mind, _"The one with the power to vanquish the dark lord approaches, born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies, and the Dark Lord will mark him as his equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not, and either must die by the hands of the other for neither can live if the other survives, the one who can rise as the next Dark Lord will be born as the seventh month dies."_


	9. Blonds

... Sorry about the shittyness that was the last two chapters before I fixed it...

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><p>James flung the prophecy at the wall with an enraged scream which caused the delicate crystal to shatter into a million pieces which released the silent shade of Sybil Trelawney to rise as she mouthed the- the <em>curse<em> that she had made, "My son is not going to become a Dark Lord!"

Ellen Miriam smiled and vanished the remains of the crystal, "Albus Dumbledore has come in many times to try to change the Prophecy, an object that is not an object, I heard him "What the bloody hell does that fucking mean!" James shouted as he threw the orb at the murmur that he was trying to prevent the child from becoming a Dark Lord."

"More power to him," James snarled, "My son is not going Dark."

The witch's smile vanished and her eyes seemed to sharpen as she glared at James, "Dark does not mean evil, just as you being a Grey wizard did not mean that you stood down and remained neutral during the war. Dark does not equate evil just as Light does not mean good."

James' anger dissipated and he frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

The dreamy look reappeared on the woman's face, "That is something that you will find out; not yet, but soon."

The ex-auror ran a hand through his messy hair as he tried to think, "Alright, I'll just accept what you're saying because this is already insane enough for me to believe anything at this point." He shook his head, "But…" James pause as he thought about the Prophecy and quickly realization dawned on his face, "Its already happened, the Prophecy its already done, it says vanquished so even if Voldemort comes back Harry doesn't have anything to do with it, and curse scars never go away so… that 'power' it must be…" James trailed off his eyes alight, "And as long as Harry has a happy childhood, he 'lives' instead of 'survives'. Everything, other than that last line, happened on Halloween." James grinned like a loon, "My son doesn't have this over his head anymore."

The woman nodded her head, "It is quite amazing, Lord James Harold Potter, how many ways a Prophecy may be translated." James looked up at the woman his smile fading, "But what is more amazing is how some are too set in the initial translation to see what has truly happened."

"What?" James asked confused.

The dreamy eyed woman just smiled, "Keep your mind open and watch out for bumblebees, and remember Dark and evil are two different things just like good and Light." She waved her hand and James found himself blinking his eyes as if he had something in them and his vision seemed to blur.

When James opened his eyes he found himself in an empty office filled with empty prophecy crystals, the only one that was lit was a small orb on the dusty desk. James walked over to it and picked the note that was under the orb and read the writing, 'I always keep extras Lord Potter' was written on the front and when he turned it over it read 'T. M. Riddle, H. J. Potter, Untitled prophecy #549-80, Seer: Sybill Trelawney, Witness: Albus Dumbledore'.

Severus Snape woke up in his bed while he clutched a funny smelling pillow to his chest. The potions master sighed softly as he breathed in the scent of his room's newest occupant. "You should get up now Severus, or else I'll start bringing guests to see how adorable you are while you sleep." Severus grumbled tossed the pillow next to him at the portrait. "I'm quite sure that the Fat Lady would think that you look quite cute, I mean I can practically hear her now, telling her dear lions and that gossip friend of hers all about it."

The wizard sat up and glared at the portrait sleepily, "You will do no such thing you rotten old geezer."

Vladimir snorted, "Your glare does nothing to scare me, _I _was the one who perfected that glare, and sadly, my dear grandson, you have yet to perfect it." Severus sneered at the portrait and slowly got up his spine cracking as he did so, "You're too young for your back to be cracking like that."

Severus sent a stinging hex towards the portrait and grabbed (after a moments thought) the one set of muggle clothes since he wasn't planning on going anywhere while he listened to his Grandfather yell about what a brat he was. Severus was halfway out of the room before he remembered something and he stepped back into the room, "Grandfather," Severus cut into the portraits rant, "Where did Potter go this morning?"

The portrait scowled at Severus, "He went to run a few errands, I think he left you a note somewhere, you brat."

Severus simply rolled his eyes and headed down the hall to Harry's room and stuck his head in to see Harry still sleeping, Birdy in a strangle hold while the child sucked his thumb. Severus smiled softly, despite the fact that the child was guaranteed to end up a troublemaker he looked quite innocent. The potions master shook his head, quietly shut the door and entered the bathroom to change into his bundle of clothes.

Soon Severus found himself in the kitchen with a little thing of mashed banana and some toddler crackers that the elves had put in one of his cupboards at some point. He put them on the table along with some toast for himself which he quickly ate as he knew that once he got the brat up he wouldn't have time to eat as the child couldn't seem to sit still for very long. But as he headed towards the small nursery his fireplace magically expanded as green flames erupted from the grate and Lucius strode into the room with a sobbing Draco clutched to his shoulder.

Severus immediately ran over to his friend and godson, "Lucius what happened?"

The blond looked grimly at Severus, "I finally have the evidence I need so that Narcissa will never see our son again should I file divorce papers."

Severus pulled his friend to the table, "Sit down Lucius, I need to get Harry and then we can talk about this; I have a feeling that we won't want any distractions."

Lucius' worried look vanished as a shocked one appeared, "Harry? As in Harry Potter? Black's godson?"

Severus nodded, "But we'll discuss that after you tell me why you came in here with my godson sobbing into your shoulder."

The blond man simply nodded as he murmured nonsense to the tiny toddler who's sobs had turned to whimpers. Severus walked into Harry's nursery and smiled slightly at the sleepy baby, "Hello Harry."

The boys face split into a grin, "Papa." Harry said as he reached out for the potions master.

Severus rolled his eyes, "Uncle Sev."

Harry pouted and glared at the man, "Papa, Mama say to call Sev dat."

The potion master shook his head and picked Harry up, "I don't think you should call me that."

The little baby poked Severus' forehead, "Papa!"

"Severus." Severus turned to see Lucius in the doorway with an expression that made James' kicked-puppy-look look pathetic, "Why is Potter's son calling you Papa?"

Severus sighed, "It's a long story."

"Severus it is only the second of november. How the hell is it a long story?"

Severus just shook his head for the second time in less than a minute, "I'll be out in a minute why don't you give the toddler crackers on the table to Draco?" Lucius nodded his head and walked away with a lost expression on his face as he petted his son's nearly white hair as he tried to stop the baby's whimpers.

Harry tilted his head, "Who day?"

"My… brother and his son, Lucius and Draco." Severus said as he pulled Harry out of his crib."

The baby's eyebrows scrunched together, "Unca Lucy and Dway?"

Severus sighed, "Yes, you may call them Uncle Lucy and Dray." Harry smiled, "Now will you behave so I can get you ready?" Harry just giggled.

Ten minutes, three nappies, two onesies, and five cleaning spells later Severus finally entered the into his small kitchenette where Lucius sat with Draco now happily munching on his crackers. When Draco saw his Uncle Sev his face broke into a grin and he waved both his arms towards Severus, "Unca Sev!" The toddler shouted but when he noticed that Severus' arms had another child in them he pouted and he glared at the baby with dancing green eyes, "My Unca Sev." he said indignantly.

Harry just nodded and he patted Severus' face, "My Papa." he then pointed towards the bowl of mashed bananas that were across from where Lucius sat with Draco in his lap, "My nanabas."

Draco glared at Harry for a second longer before he nodded, "Me Dwayco-o."

Harry smiled and reached for the other boy and was barely caught by a surprised Severus as Harry held out a tiny chubby hand to the boy, "Me Hawwy."

Lucius chuckled while Draco just looked up at his father confused, "He wants to shake your hand Draco." Draco nodded and held out his hand but both boys were too far apart to reach so they gave up.

Severus rolled his eyes and sat down and gave Harry the spoon after he cast a mild repelling charm on both the baby's clothes and hair along with his own, "Now Lucius," Severus asked as both children munched on their respective breakfast, "What did Narcissa do?"

Lucius shook his head, "I-I don't know what she was trying to do, as you know on Halloween the Dark Lord had planned several raids, well it was decided by the aurors and Dumbledore that I would help lead counter-raids to capture them simultaneously thus greatly." Lucius sighed and shook his head, "Every Death Eater was captured except my sister-in-law, the LeStrange brothers, Barty Crouch Jr., and- apparently- my wife." Severus' eyes widened at that, he hadn't known that Narcissa was a Death Eater.

The blond Lord looked up at his friend, "I knew that Cissy had become a gold digging whore, but she never showed any interest in the Dark side other than personal contacts and men. But," Lucius held his son tight, "When I came back from the Ministry after almost four days of nonstop planning and execution of the raids I found Narcissa setting up a Dark ritual around our son, a giant cut on his arm and nearly a cup of his blood had been used to draw a diagram on the floor." Lucius held up Draco's arm so that Severus could see the dark line along the toddler's left arm, "I couldn't heal it passed this, and I have the memory." Lucius held out a small vial filled with the silvery not-liquid liquid of memories, "I'm taking it to Moody right after this, so to have Narcissa removed from my manor and shipped straight off to Azkaban to rot with the rest of them."

Severus looked at his godson sharply, "You gave him six drops of blood replenishing potion correct?"

Lucius shook his head, "I gave him seven, he was still losing blood even after I tried to apply dittany, it only stopped when I did the counter curse for your Sectumsempra curse."

Severus cursed in greek as he didn't want Draco (who was acting like a parrot at the moment to repeat what he said), "How did she find out about Sectumsempra?"

"I don't think that it was exactly Sectumsempra since the counter curse prevents any sort of scarring but as you can see Draco now has a curse scar down his arm, she's locked up in my basement right now with my house elves dampening her magic, but I don't know how long it will last." Lucius shivered, "She was talking to this journal while she was setting it up, I'm taking that in as well, hopefully the auror department will be able to figure it out."

Severus nodded, "Hopefully." He muttered as Harry looked up from his mashed fruit owlishly before he pointed at Lucius and Draco.

"Owies."

Severus nodded, "Yes they have owies." Lucius looked confused as he checked his face for any scratches.

"Lucy owie like Papa's an' Dway's owie like Hawwy's."

Lucius looked shocked as he realized what Harry was saying, "Severus what is going on here? How can he see Dark magic?" The blond asked slightly hysterical.

Severus just sighed, "Let me explain about what has happened since Halloween night."

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><p>Just thought I should mention that reviews fuel my desire to actually go on with life in general and often influence how quickly I can finish the next chapter<p> 


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